How Farmingdale State College is Engaging At-Risk Students in Undergraduate Research

Undergraduate Research: Image of Beakers in a Lab
Member Exclusive

A pilot project at Farmingdale State College is engaging both freshmen and transfer students in undergraduate research. Here are the details.

 

SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION SERIES

The US Department of Education has awarded multi-million dollar "First in the World" grants to 18 colleges and universities that are innovating to solve critical challenges with access, recruitment, retention, and student success. At AI, we have interviewed each of the recipients to learn more about the projects these institutions are pursuing, how their approaches are unique, and what other colleges and universities can learn from these new efforts.

This was the second year of the First in the World grants. You can read our interviews with the 24 institutions that received 2014 grants here.

by Lisa Cook and Daniel Fusch, Academic Impressions

Officials at Farmingdale State College, State University of New York, hope to boost degree completion of at-risk students by engaging them actively in undergraduate research. Their new project, "Creating Research Opportunities for Students," will use their $2.9 million 2015 First in the World grant to mentor and prepare students for research and then offer a hands-on research experience with a faculty mentor, conducted both on- and off-campus. They project that the initiative will increase their four-year graduation rate by 20%.

Familiar with the research on the efficacy of involving students in real-world research projects and fascinated by Farmingdale's approach, we spoke recently with Dr. Beverly Kahn who authored the grant application and is Project Director. Kahn is a professor of political science and former provost and vice president for academic affairs.


We hope you’re enjoying this read. The full text of this article or report is complimentary for Academic Impressions members. to read it!

If you're signed up to receive our Daily Pulse, but your institution does not have an active membership, you won't have access to this article.

FIND OUT ABOUT MEMBERSHIP:

An Academic Impressions membership provides multiple users on your campus with unlimited access to exclusive reports, research briefs, hundreds of free webcasts and online trainings, and discounts on conferences. Learn more about membership and get unlimited training and reading for you and your team today.